Chapter 12
T he cool night air engulfed us as we walked up the road towards the guest house. I pulled my jacket a little tighter around my collar.
‘You seem a little unhappy for someone who’s getting married in a week,’ he said.
‘It’s just been an eventful day,’ I replied. ‘I’m fine.’
Well, I wasn’t, really. My safe, secure, predictable life seemed to be slowly unravelling, and I didn’t know what was real now and what wasn’t. I hadn’t believed in ghosts until now, and it hadn’t even crossed my mind that Greg could cheat, and I still didn’t know if I believed it. I looked at Ty with curiosity. ‘You’re a man,’ I said, watching the way he walked with confidence and calmness.
‘Intelligent observation.’
‘I mean, you’re a man, so you might be able to help me with something.’
He raised his eyebrows.
‘Is it just in a man’s nature to want to stray, to not tie themselves down with one woman?’
‘You’re asking me if all men are cheats? ’
‘I guess so. I mean, not that they all would, but is it really possible for a man to be happy with one woman, forever?’
‘I can only speak for myself, but yes, it is possible. Sure, men are naturally wired to seek out a mate, multiple mates, but that doesn’t mean they have to act on their impulses.’
‘So it comes down to a choice. It’s not just an uncontrollable urge that can’t be denied?’
‘Of course it’s a choice. No matter how strong someone’s desire is, the mind is always stronger. What’s brought this on? Getting cold feet about the wedding?’
I eyed my feet. ‘Well, my left foot is particularly cold.’ I smiled, and he did too. ‘No, I’m not, but it’s just something someone said, something I heard, that’s…’ I ran my hand over my ponytail. ‘Oh, why am I telling you this?’
‘Because I’m here and I’m listening?’
I smiled again, and stopped on the side of the road. ‘It’s possible my fiancé, Greg, is having an affair.’
Ty’s eyes bulged. ‘What? Are you sure?’
‘No, and I never would have thought it could be possible, but when I spoke to him just now, it was different, weird, and kind of fit in with what someone said about him. ’
Ty shook his head. ‘Well if he is, he’s a damn fool.’ He encouraged me to keep walking. ‘I take it you haven’t confronted him about it?’
‘No, no way.’
‘But with only one week till the wedding, it’s probably best to sort it out sooner rather than later.’
‘Tell me about it.’ I sighed. ‘Sorry, I shouldn’t be dumping all this on you. I haven’t even discussed it with my friends.’
‘It’s no problem. But like I said, better sort the whole thing out as soon as you can. Maybe it’s a misunderstanding. And if not, then boy, what a mistake he’s made.’
Ty’s gaze remained straight ahead, and I watched the side of his face, the dark shadows from the night sculpting his jaw, the protrusion of his Adam’s apple, and his strong, confident posture, and I realised he was paying me a compliment and not just speaking generally about infidelity being a mistake.
‘Thanks for walking me back,’ I said.
‘Ah,’ he flicked his hand. ‘Walking nice ladies home, rescuing them from toilets, performing some light entertainment, all in a day’s work.’
‘So does Cody, is he, can he…’
‘Are you trying to ask me how independent he is?’
‘Yeah. ’
‘He’s better now he’s a bit older. Before, I had to be with him all the time, but now he’s learnt more skills he can do things for himself. He has his own phone he can call me with too, though he can’t hear too well so he texts me instead. His writing is quite good, on a screen that is, not by hand. He knows not to leave the house by himself without someone knowing where he is. He’s a great kid. A challenge sometimes, but great.’
‘And your parents?’
‘They died several years ago. Dad had a heart attack while driving. Unfortunately they both didn’t make it.’ He lowered his head and kicked a pebble.
‘Oh gosh, Ty, I’m so sorry.’ My hand found its way to his back for a brief moment.
‘We manage. It was a big shock, and Cody didn’t cope too well in the beginning. But we’ve made a new life for ourselves and things are looking up.’
‘Do you get any help with Cody?’
‘My neighbours are great, they keep an eye on him when I’m out working, invite him over for movie nights… they’re hard of hearing themselves so it becomes a big subtitle-fest at their place!’
‘Oh yes, my parents are the same. The TV is on either too loud or the subtitles take up half the screen.’
We shared a laugh .
‘Where did you learn to dance the way you do?’
‘Mostly taught myself from music videos, went to a few classes, and after a while I started getting gigs as a background dancer for singers and performers. I’d travel to the city regularly to do shows. At one stage I thought I might even head to the states and try my luck in the music industry doing music videos and stuff. But then the accident happened. Things changed, I had to change. Being there for Cody became number one priority.’
‘Wow. You’ve done so well. I’m sure your parents would be incredibly proud of you.’ If I was saying this a couple of weeks ago it would have simply been meant as a nice thing to say, but now, I think I actually believed it. Maybe those who died were still ‘around’, watching their loved ones and guiding them from beyond.
‘Thanks, hopefully they are, wherever they are.’ He glanced up at the sky and held out his hands.
I decided to take the opportunity to ask him something. ‘Do you believe that there’s something after all this. Afterlife?’
Ty twisted his lips. ‘I was never really sure, but after they died, I don’t know… Something changed. A feeling, a sense that somehow they were still with me.’
I smiled, even though Ty’s focus was straight ahead and it was dark. I didn’t feel so out of place, so weird, for what I’d experienced with Red. Not that I was going to tell him about her. ‘That’s nice. I have a feeling they are too. Still with you.’
Ty turned to face me. ‘I have a feeling you’re very good at your job. You’re really great with all this serious stuff. You know what to say to make people feel better.’
‘Well thank you. I’m much better with this stuff than I am with all the social, party-type conversation and fun.’
‘Oh, I don’t know about that. You did pretty well at Twister and that Pin the Thingy game.’ He elbowed me in the ribs.
‘You’re just being nice. And I’m sorry you had to witness all that ridiculousness.’
‘Don’t apologise. This is turning into one of the most entertaining weekends I’ve had in a long time.’ He grinned, and I knew he was thinking of the various embarrassments I’d endured. ‘Though I’m sorry I bit your head off at the supermarket when you ran over my foot. I know it was an accident.’
For some reason I wished I could tell him about Red. Wished I could release this secret that had been overtaking my mind.
Guess what? I saw a ghost!
Hey, you know how you were wondering whether people live on after death? Well, surprise, they do !
Ty, I’d like you to meet Red. You can’t see her of course, but I assure you, she’s there.
If only I could.
But despite his apparent openness to the other side he’d still probably think I was a little nuts.
‘That’s okay, I’m sorry for running over your foot in the first place. And for the awkwardness later that night at the house. You really did put on a good show, I must say.’ I was glad it was dark because I was probably blushing.
He made a show of bowing.
‘So,’ I said. ‘A doctor, hey? How does Cody feel about the possibility of you being away every day learning how to save lives?’
‘He’s excited for me, thinks I’ll be able to perform surgery after my first day. But if I get in, I’ll have to arrange more help looking after him. There is some respite care available, and various support services, but that’s something I’m saving up for too. I’ll need to hire somebody to be his carer when I’m not there.’
‘Well, I’ll be sure to recommend your services to everyone I come across. Got any business cards?’
‘Why thank you, I do indeed. Always keep a few in my wallet, you never know when a promotional opportunity will present itself.’ He took his wallet from his pocket and extracted a few cards .
Ty Roxford ~ Quality adult entertainer and dancer
It showed his photo, a black and white mysterious looking shot from side on, with one of his eyebrows raised, as though his expression was asking ‘You ready for some fun?’
I popped them in my bag, and shook my head at the situation. Here I was, walking at night with a stripper, having a deep and meaningful conversation, one week before my wedding. What was Greg doing right now? My stomach churned remembering our awkward phone conversation, and I knew I’d have to find out, somehow, whether there was any truth to what Red had said, or if she was, in fact, just trying to manipulate me into leaving him for her own satisfaction.
‘Can I get you a cup of coffee, tea, or something?’ I asked as we approached the front door of the guest house.
Ty rocked forward on his feet with his hands in his pockets and looked like he was about to say yes, then turned his head to look down the driveway. ‘Thanks, but I better get back to Cody. And I take it you’ll be keen to have a nice hot shower after your altercation with the bathroom floor in the pub?’
‘Are you trying to tell me I need a wash?’ I asked with a hint of sarcasm, though I knew too well I did .
‘No, but if you carry that anti-bacterial stuff around with you I’m guessing good personal hygiene is one of your high priorities.’
I shrugged and smiled. ‘Your guess would be right.’
I unlocked the door and thanked him again for accompanying me, and we both turned away.
‘Sally?’ he asked, and I turned to face him. ‘Some men may cheat, but real men don’t.’ He grasped the side of my arm. ‘Find out the truth before the wedding. Don’t brush it aside. If you have doubts, you have to listen to them.’ He dropped his hand and turned away again, but my eyes remained on him. He must have sensed them, because he turned back for the second time. ‘And if I was with someone as kind and special as you, no way would I be stupid enough to let anything get in the way of that.’
He gave a single, gentle wave of his hand, a soft smile, and walked off down the driveway, while a part of me wanted to hear those words again.